


Trust

by Dimity Blue (Arnie)



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: s01e02 Ghosts, Gen, Missing Scene, Survivor Guilt, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25935310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arnie/pseuds/Dimity%20Blue
Summary: Theresa's done running, even if it means her death.Spoilers for season 1 episode 2 Ghosts.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Trust

"You have to go without me," Harold tells her.

Theresa knows, right there and then, she can't. She can't run, like she did the last time. She's already paid that price once and she can't pay it again. She can't spend hours replaying those last moments and wondering if she could have made a difference, if she could have kept her family safe by using her body to protect them, instead of obeying her parents' urging and running away like a coward.

The difference, of course, is that Harold isn't her family and the man coming through those doors isn't going to spare her life - and hers alone - because he can't kill kids. Nevertheless, she steps away from the window and pulls her box cutter from her pocket. "I'm staying with you."

It's a stupid gesture and she knows it. The man has a _gun_ and doesn't need to get near them to kill them, but she holds her box cutter steady and hopes for an opportunity to use it.

She hears the doors burst open. If Harold wants to argue, it's too late, and there's a kind of peace in that. Even though Theresa's scared and hoping death won't hurt too badly, there's a feeling of relief that it's all at an end and she'll see her mom and dad and Daniel again.

The man rounds the corner and raises his gun. Harold's a little in front of her and Theresa knows he's going to die first. The man will see him as a bigger threat, even though Theresa's faster and doesn't have a limp.

This is it. A gunshot sounds.

And the man's leg collapses beneath him before another gunshot puts him on the floor.

It takes Theresa a moment to catch up. It isn't until she's in the elevator with Harold's arm around her shoulders, that she realises she's not going to die. It's hard to take in - harder than accepting her approaching death.

"We're going to get you to someone you can trust, Theresa," John says. "Her name's Detective Carter; she's a cop."

"We'll call your aunt," Harold chimes in. "She'll know to find you at the precinct."

Theresa nods, trying to pretend she wasn't out of it for a minute or two, even though she knows she can trust them.

"You're going to be all right, Theresa," John adds. "You're safe now."

Stupidly, Theresa has to fight back tears at that. She hasn't felt safe in a long time now. But, even when they leave her in the park to wait for Detective Carter, it's with the warmth of John's jacket wrapped around her and the knowledge they're watching and waiting and won't leave until Detective Carter has her safe.

Of course, Detective Carter tries to question her. Theresa knew she would and had already decided she has to keep John and Harold safe by denying all knowledge of them and what they look like. She doesn't know why they can't trust the police but the fact they can't is enough for her.

Then Aunt Elizabeth arrives and Theresa finds herself crying and clinging to her although a voice in her head is protesting she's too old for this and she ought to be embarrassed to have tears running down her face in front of everyone. But when Theresa raises her head, she sees her aunt is crying too, and she's holding onto Theresa as much as Theresa's holding onto her, so it must be okay then because Theresa can trust her.


End file.
